Attic bedroom style…

A redundant or little used loft or attic space gives homeowners a great opportunity to extend living space whenever more room is required. As well as being a good investment and adding value to the home, an attic bedroom offers a room a little distanced from the rest of the home, where solitude and a quieter environment for reading or relaxation become a pleasing possibility. And whilst attics pose several challenges in terms of design and space utilisation, by keeping a few fundamental design principles in mind and adopting a free, creative approach, many distinct advantages become obvious. Style and design is an artistic endeavour, so think about your composition and functional goals and give the imagination a free reign.

There are a couple of unique advantages to consider before you get started. Firstly, because the attic is a room apart, there’s probably no need to adopt design consistency with the rest of the house. This opens up all sorts of style possibilities that you possibly wouldn’t even dream of considering within other rooms, so unless consistency is important to you, wipe the slate clean and think from scratch. Secondly, whilst odd angles and sloping ceilings might present a challenge, try to view them as interesting architectural features rather than a nuisance. So if you can, don’t ignore these features but rather incorporate them within the design as something unique and visually exciting. Study the available space long and hard with the services and experience of a skilled loft converter if necessary, and embrace those quirky nooks and angles for a room scheme that is individual and fun.

For a bedroom design, functionality above all else is perhaps the best way to construct a theme for your composition. Think peaceful, calm, comfortable and relaxed, and if the bed is to be the room focal point, consider everything else as almost dispensible. Once you’ve decided on the room focal point and the style of bed, be that a wooden or metal contemporary bed design, or a traditional iron bed creation for more vintage loft themes, then consider complementary furniture styles that will extend the room purpose without eating unnecessarily into precious space. Work it into the overall design but ensure that each piece pays its way. A disciplined approach is essential here. If calm and airy is your mood objective making a tight room area even tighter won’t help the composition brief. Allow for plenty of breathing room with some serious consideration for style and proportion.

In fact it’s proportion that that is key here, and it refers to how much space that we as individuals consider we need to feel comfortable within a room. Consider the position of each piece of furniture, accents and accessories relative to the walls, ceilings and each other. Which arrangement gives the feeling of the most space? Graph paper and scale drawings can of course be of huge help here, and you may decide to opt for a lower platform style bedstead for a modern minimalist approach or a low foot-end metal bed in contemporary or traditional style to ensure a non-intrusive presence from a dimensional rather than visual perspective. The clever use of mirrors can, of course also work wonders from an illusionary viewpoint, as well as helping to soften or hide completely, unworkable corners or unattractive features. If you are handy with tools and spirit level, or have the services of a craftsman, consider integrating custom built shelves and storage units. These are not difficult to create, or consider including free standing shelves and bedside tables that match or complement your choice of bed design.

Think creatively with colour but keep things light and airy for an open breezy flavour. If light eggshell whites and creams are just a tad too boring, consider light blues or greens or a pale mocha. Colours that excite, like red, yellow and orange, are probably best reserved for other rooms or situations, although an accent wall, finished in a neutral dark tone can actually help create a sense of space. This is a common design trick for smaller rooms and soothing dark browns or mid tone greys are great colours with which to experiment here…

This entry was posted
on Monday, April 23rd, 2012 at 1:18 pm and is filed under All Posts, Bedroom Style, Design Inspiration.
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